Makkah News and Updates

17 December 2013

Interior Minister Prince Muhammad bin Naif donated SR100,000 to the family of Nassir Matrouk Al-Johani who died in the line of duty while serving as a volunteer for the Civil Defense at Arafat in the recent Haj. The cause of his death was cardiac arrest.

Director of Civil Defense in Madinah, Maj.Gen. Zuhair Sabih handed a check for the amount to Al-Johani’s brother.

The deceased was a paragon of service to pilgrims, the brother said while receiving the check.

Director General of Civil Defense, Maj.Gen. Suleiman Al-Amro thanked the prince for his humanitarian gesture toward Al-Johani’s family.

http://www.arabnews.com/news/493911
17 December 2013

JEDDAH — The administrative court in Jeddah will next month announce its preliminary ruling against 15 people accused of trying to deceive the government over the number of overstaying Umrah pilgrims in the Kingdom.

The defendants, consisting of four government employees and 11 businessmen working in Umrah service-providing companies, were charged with forgery and accepting bribes and will be sentenced on Jan. 2. The Bureau of Investigations and Public Prosecution (BIP) had accused the 15 defendants of accepting bribes and forging official documents by registering in official records the departure of a number of Umrah pilgrims even though they were still in the Kingdom.

Quoting court sources, Al-Madinah newspaper reported on Monday that the incident took place during the Umrah season of 1432H.

The government employees were also accused of ignoring their duties by letting the businessmen write in the registry that a number of Umrah pilgrims had already left the country when in fact they did not.

The sources said the businessmen did this so their companies would give the impression they had a small number of overstaying pilgrims and avoid Haj Ministry punishments including cancellation of their licenses or fines.

According to the court sources, the defendants each face up to 12 years in prison and heavy fines.

Commenting on the case, legal consultant Ahmed Al-Ghamdi said the attorney general would have to object to the court verdict within 30 days otherwise the preliminary ruling would become final.

"If there is an objection to the verdict by the attorney general the case will be forwarded to the court of appeals to consider it from the beginning," he said.

Al-Ghamdi said the verdict is final if the court of appeals upheld the preliminary ruling of the administrative court.

http://www.saudigazette.com.sa/index...20131217189784

17 December 2013

MADINAH — Many historic mosques in Madinah are in need of urgent repair, maintenance or complete reconstruction to preserve and keep them intact for many years to come, local daily Al-Madinah reported Monday quoting a noted Saudi historian.

"These mosques are part of our history. They need skilled people who use state-of-the-art technology in their work to repair them," Dr. Tinaidib Al-Faydi said.

According to the historian-researcher, Al-Fash Mosque, located at the bottom of Uhud Mountain, is among those that need maintenance. He recalled that the Prophet (peace be upon him) prayed in this mosque while sitting down due to fatigue. His companions prayed after him also sitting down, Al-Faydi added.

He said Banu Aneef Mosque is another historic mosque in need of repair. The Prophet (pbuh) also prayed at this mosque, which is located on a plateau about 500 meters away from Qiba Mosque. It is also incorrectly called Mosabah Mosque.

Al-Nour mosque is located about a kilometer behind the Banu Aneef or Mosabah Mosque. This mosque has been mentioned by Imam Bukhari in his book containing authentic prophetic sayings. The foundation stones of the mosque still exist in a farm with a well near it.

The researcher said many historic mosques, including Mariah Mosque, were recently demolished because they were surrounded by cemeteries from all sides.

Mariah was an Egyptian Coptic who was the wife of the Prophet (pbuh) and the mother of his son Ibrahim, who died at childbirth.

The remains of the mosque are now located inside a large courtyard on Al-Awali Road.

The Al-Fidhaikh Mosque, which is also called Urwah Bani Al-Nadeer Mosque, was also demolished because it was surrounded by graveyards from all its sides.

According to the historian, other ancient mosques in need of repair or complete reconstruction include Banu Quraidha, Banu Dinar which is now known as Al-Mighaislah Mosque, the Al-Qiblatain, Al-Fath, Al-Ahzab, Jabir Bin Abdullah, Al-Ijabah, Banu Muawiyyah, Al-Sajdah, Al-Miqat, Al-Jumaa, Al-Rayah and Otban Bin Malik Mosque where the Prophet (pbuh) had prayed.

According to Al-Faydi the most famous mosques in Madinah include Quba, which is the second largest in Madinah after the Prophet's Mosque.

Al-Anbariyyah Mosque is another historic building which was built by the Ottoman emperor Abdul Hameed II in 1908 as part of Al-Hejaz train project linking Madinah with Damascus.

The Al-Qiblatain Mosque is one of the important historic features of the Prophet's city.

It was also called Banu Salamah Mosque because it was located in Banu Salamah village. It is called Al-Qiblatain because the Prophet (pbuh) received orders from Allah to change the Qibla (the direction to which Muslims point toward when praying) from Jerusalem to Makkah while he was praying there.

The mosque is situated to the northwest of the city and overlooks Al-Aqiq valley.

There is also Abu Dhar Al-Ghifari Mosque, which is named after the great companion of the Prophet (pbuh). It has also been called Al-Sajdah Mosque because the Prophet (pbuh) knelt here for a long time in it thanking Allah. It is also known as Al-Buhairi Mosque because of its proximity to a date palms farm known as Al-Buhair.

The Al-Ghamamah (cloud) Mosque is located to the southwest of the Prophet's Mosque about 500 meters from Al-Salam Door.

People intending to go to Makkah for Haj or Umrah put their ihram (the holy dress pilgrims wear) on in this mosque. It is also known as Abar (wells) Ali Mosque.

Caliph Ali Bin Abi Talib ordered digging of wells in this area to provide water to the pilgrims and visitors.

http://www.saudigazette.com.sa/index...20131217189787

16 December 2013

RIYADH — A long-awaited personal affairs law that regulates family relationships and decides the rights of women and children will include an article setting the minimum age of marital consent at 18, Al-Hayat newspaper reported Sunday.

Legal sources said under the new law, a girl under this age will not be allowed to marry without a court decision even if her male guardian has given his consent.

They said the Shoura Council would soon discuss the law before it is sent to the Council of Ministers for final approval.

The law will be based on the 282-item Muscat Document on personal affairs adopted by the GCC ministers of justice in 1998.

The sources said the law, which will be issued in the coming few weeks, includes chapters on marriage, separation between husbands and wives, maturity of men and women and inheritance.

The new law aims to achieve parity between men and women in all aspects of life.

The sources said the law would cancel the right of guardianship for men over women except in marriages, where Islamic Shariah gives them this right.

They said the wife could ask to include a stipulation in the marriage contract indicating her right to divorce if the husband marries another woman and she has the right to stay in the marital home if a divorce between them has not been made final.

According to the sources, the new law has described the relationship between married couples to be a partnership, not qiwamah (supremacy of men over women) as it used to be.

http://www.saudigazette.com.sa/index...20131216189654

Jeddah, Safar 13, 1435, Dec 16, 2013, SPA

The Ministry of Hajj has received pilgrims coming from outside the kingdom who numbered since the start of the Umrah season 13 days ago until today more than 7000 pilgrims from different nationalities.

The ministry expects that Umrah visas which will be awarded by the ministry for this season will reach 6 million visas for Umrah visitors from 70 states around the world as the ministry deals annually with 12 million individuals.

The ministry announced the application of the program of electronic reception for the first time in the current Umrah season to monitor pilgrims electronically.

http://www.spa.gov.sa/English/print.php?id=1179327
Riyadh, Safar 13, 1435, Dec 16, 2013, SPA

The Scientific Committee of Naif bin Abdulaziz International Award for Prophetic Sunnah and Contemporary Islamic Studies will hold its first meeting here on Wednesday under the chairmanship of Dr. Saed Al-Orabi Al-Harthi, Advisor to the Minister of Interior and Secretary General of the Award.

During the meeting, the Committee will nominate the four winners of the Award in its branches of the Prophetic Sunnah and Contemporary Islamic Studies.

http://www.spa.gov.sa/English/print.php?id=1179328

17 December 2013

Experts in the realty sector have called for measures to check the ‘unjustified’ skyrocketing of property prices by as much as 40 percent in parts of Madinah.

Ahmed Al-Dibaikhi, board chairman of Ahmed Al-Dibaikhi for Real Estate Investment, cited by local media, said the recent announcement of developmental projects in the city, including the expansion of the Prophet’s Mosque, will provide more liquidity since owners of expropriated properties will be paid compensation.

The liquidity will push demand for land and properties to levels higher than available resources, narrow housing plans, and lack of other investment avenues coupled with easy speculative dealings in real estate and low risk associated with it, he said.

Al-Dibaikhi suggested a series of solutions to address the problem, including the Ministry of Municipal and Rural Affairs reconsidering the urban range of the city to cope with population growth.

Besides, the city development authority should quickly approve white (vacant) lands located within the city or adjacent to the existing housing units, he said.

He said real estate developers should also be encouraged to enter into different types of property investments and that license procedures be eased.

The development authority should also promptly uncover its developmental and regulatory plans, which would remove any skepticism among investors and dealers arising out of possible rumors, which are, in some cases, the major cause of high prices in some parts of the city, he said.

The property expert called on the Ministry of Housing to make its housing projects a reality, whereby citizens would feel secure on the possibility of having a house.

A’id Al-Sinani, an accredited property dealer, said the expansion of the Prophet’s Mosque will generate enormous liquidity among owners of expropriated properties. The liquidity can be expected to be pumped into real estate which would push prices considerably.

He also suggested some measures to curb land and property price hikes including construction of thousands of housing units for citizens, and conclusion of deals with global companies from China, South Korea and Japan for development of land and construction of housing units.

Sub-contracting of deals, especially with national companies who usually delay implementation of such projects, should be avoided, Al-Sinani said.

Ismail Khalid, another property dealer, also gave similar suggestions to curb the increase in land prices, including distribution of lands within the city and re-planning of the vacant (white) lands as quickly as possible.

http://www.arabnews.com/news/493781

Dec 17, 2013

State organizations in Saudi Arabia have desecrated the Holy Qur'an by discarding over fifty copies in Taif city’s street sewerage canals.

According to a Saudi official in the Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice, the incident was reported by a local student, who saw the holy books on his way home in Al-Salama district of Taif.

The service company that specializes in opening drainage inlets was then called, and dozens of copies of the Quran were retrieved.

A photo that shows desecrated books has now gone viral on the internet and social media websites.

This is not the first time the Holy Quran has been desecrated in Saudi Arabia. Earlier this year, the move by prison officials in Al-Haer province to insult the Holy Book led to protests in different parts of the Kingdom.

The desecration of the holy Quran in a country, which is the birthplace of Islam, has raised eyebrows in the Muslim world.

http://www.presstv.ir/detail/2013/12...te-holy-quran/

 

56% completion rate of the new Madinah airport

expected operation of the airport in January 2015

56 % نسبة الإنجاز بمشروع مطار المدينة المنورة الجديد

18 December 2013

The government has issued 211,000 Umrah visas for the new season so far, while about 12,000 pilgrims have already arrived in the Kingdom, Haj Minister Bandar Hajjar announced on Tuesday.

Hajjar said the ministry has also introduced a new electronic system to track pilgrims and ensure better services. “The system will help officials see how many pilgrims arrive each day so they can provide proper services,” he said.

The government expects 6 million foreign pilgrims this season from 70 countries, with an equal number of local pilgrims, said Abdullah Marghalani, the Haj Ministry’s Jeddah director general on Monday.

Marghalani said the new electronic system would provide services for pilgrims from their arrival to their departure. The system would have access to advanced travel information from the General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) and the Jeddah Port Authority, which would allow officials to facilitate transport and accommodation arrangements.

He said the transportation of pilgrims has been addressed through the system, which provides alerts to bus drivers on their mobile phones that pilgrims have arrived. There are also alerts sent to the phones of pilgrims when they arrive in the Kingdom. He said the ministry has instructed transport operators to keep all buses clean and equipped with air-conditioning.

Marghalani said the ministry was also monitoring Umrah companies to ensure they provide the packages that pilgrims have been promised. In addition, Umrah firms have to send their representatives to the accommodation of pilgrims six hours before they arrive.

He said that all field inspectors from the Haj ministry are equipped with tablet computers to ensure they can upload data of pilgrims at every stage. He said 5,000 employees from the ministry, 20 government agencies and private bodies are working to help pilgrims.

He said the Haj Ministry’s personnel have been asked to deal courteously with pilgrims on their arrival. The officials are also handing out booklets on important information and a bracelet for each pilgrim.

He said that pilgrims are only allowed to take Zamzam water produced by the government-approved facility in the Kingdom on their flights home. Other brands would not be allowed.

http://www.arabnews.com/news/494641

Jeddah, Safar 15, 1435, Dec 18, 2013, SPA

The Minister of Hajj Dr. Bandar bin Mohammed Hajjar has confirmed that the expansion of the Two Holy Mosques and services to pilgrims, Umrah performers and visitors are venerable deeds undertaken by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia as an extension of the care and attention given by the Kingdom's leadership to this blessed country.

In a speech topped the new issue of "Hajj and Umrah" magazine issued by the Ministry, Dr. Hajjar commended the project of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al Saud to expand the Prophet's Holy Mosque as a complementary to the projects ordered to be implemented in both Makkah and Madinah by the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, with the aim of enabling pilgrims, Umrah performers and visitors of the Prophet's Holy Mosque to perform their rituals easily and comfortably, indicating in particular to the current expansion of the Grand Holy Mosque in Makkah and other holy sites in the two cities.

He also said that the city of Prophet Mohammad (Peace be upon him) is witnessing a similar development never seen throughout its long history, citing the efforts of the leadership in the development of Madinah region in general and the Prophet's Holy Mosque in particular by the implementation of the largest expansion in its history.

It is worth mentioning that the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques has recently ordered the implementation of a major expansion of the Prophet's Holy Mosque in Madinah, as an extension of his efforts in the service of Islam and Muslims.

http://www.spa.gov.sa/English/print.php?id=1180243 Riyadh, Safar 15, 1435, Dec 18, 2013, SPA

The International Islamic News Agency (IINA) has issued a special edition of its magazine on the occasion of the selection of Madinah as the Capital of Islamic Culture 2013.

The Minister of Culture and Information Dr. Abdulaziz bin Mohieddin Khoja supervises the magazine; and its Chief Editor is IINA Director General Ali bin Ahmed Al-Ghamdi.

The magazine included the speeches of Crown Prince Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Deputy Premier and Minister of Defense and other speakers on the occasion of the inauguration of events of Madinah as Capital of Islamic Culture 2013.

http://www.spa.gov.sa/English/print.php?id=1180136